It has been quite cold here in Oslo for the past few days, after very mild Christmas weather. The temperatures since Monday have been creeping lower and lower, and are around 14 degrees Fahrenheit at present. It is supposed to continue this way through the weekend, after which it will warm up again.
But the cold weather helped to create a very infrequent optical illusion last night--columns of light in the sky called light pillars. They appear to extend from the ground all the way into the sky. These are essentially atmospheric phenomena seen for the most part in cold arctic regions. They are created when natural light (sun or moon) or artificial light reflects off of flat ice crystals (in ice clouds, ice fogs, blowing snow) that are close to the Earth's surface. The result is a pillar of light that extends into the sky. They are absolutely beautiful to see!
I took a few photos from my kitchen window. The photos would have been better had I not lived in a city where there is a lot of artificial light that dilutes the illusion, but nevertheless, I did manage to get some photos that show the beauty of these atmospheric phenomena. Enjoy!
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| Light pillars over Oslo, 6 January 2016 |
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| Light pillars over Oslo, 6 January 2016 |
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| Light pillars over Oslo, 6 January 2016 |
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| Light pillars over Oslo, 6 January 2016 |
